This was exactly what I was expecting from the description. I'm sure moms/marrieds/Gen Xers will love this story and relate with the characters. I am none of those things, but I still appreciated the need for stories like this and enjoyed myself while reading.

I heard (read) that this books is a debut and honestly I was shocked, because is so well written that when I was reading it, I was imagine it as netfllix movie, because I feel that the story will resonate to so many women, because even when I am not 40, I am in touch with a lot women over 40 and many of the questions and situations she finds herself into are very common and relatable.


Also leaves one wonder which is the right way to live you mature years...

Idk give it a try, you won't be disappointed

4 STARS.

Leslie Rasmussen far exceeded my expectations with her debut novel. This story included many ups and downs, laughter, quirkiness, drama, and close-to-home storylines that make the reader feel as though her story is a little to familiar to their own.

While I loved "After Happily Ever After," I will admit that it was slow in the start. I continually picked it up, only to put it back down and let it rest for a while. Perhaps the format of my ARC, or the actual storyline, but regardless, I kept coming back for more - and I'm so glad I did. From chapter 5 on, I was engrossed and finished the remainder of the book in one sitting. I couldn't stay away!

Rasmussen's storyline and characters rang true for certain aspects of my life, which I think kept me itching to read more. Would her Maggie respond to her father dealing with dementia in the same way I dealt with several individuals close to me experiencing it? The storytelling in this book is phenomenal, bringing you through a rollercoaster of emotions while keeping you engrossed as real-life problems face the characters and we watched their response to the events and how they handle them. I felt as though I grew close to the characters and was genuinely surprised at the ending. I was not expecting it to hit as suddenly as it did. I wanted to know more - What would happen? Where would they end up? Did Gia make the connection between Michael, Maggie, and Taylor? But that is the beauty of Rasmussen's writing - these are questions we can write our own answers to, and be confident that she has provided us with a story that gives a good idea of what those answers may be.

Maggie is a phenomenally written character and I truly believe envelopes what a lot of women are beginning to realize (especially in the pandemic) - there is so much more in our lives that we can learn about ourselves, others, our mothers, and our family and friends. We have the ability to discover more in life, but it sometimes takes the acknowledgment that we need to do it alone and that that is the only way we can grow into the best version of ourselves.

Rasmussen's debut novel is exceptionally well-written. I would strongly recommend to anyone that this is a book they should pick up and read. It provides laugh, reflection of your own life, struggles, joy, and self-growth - all things that make this an extremely well-written novel.

POSTED TO GOODREADS ACCOUNT.

This is the story of Maggie. Maggie's daughter Gia is heading to college soon and for the first time Maggie isn't sure of her place in the world. She left a publishing job to raise Gia, and she misses the work and deadlines and having someone notice her for more than grocery shopping and laundry. On top of this, she's also dealing with a husband who seems to have lost interest in her, parents whose health is falling apart, and loneliness she can't seem to fill.

Enter Michael from the gym. Young Michael. Attentive Michael. Michael with the abs. As always happens, Michael gives her the attention she craves. But at what cost? To find that out go pick up a copy. Seriously. This is a good read that deals with a real life issue women all face. Who are we outside of mothers?

For a debut novel this is a well written easy read. Some parts felt rushed and I did feel the ending was too abrupt. Its also on the shorter side for book length so adding more wouldn't have been overkill. Definitely a good debut however. Solid four stars.

Thank you to.NetGalley, She Writes Press, and Leslie Rasmussen for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

AFTER HAPPILY EVER AFTER by Leslie Rasmussen is Maggie's story. She is in her forties, coming to terms with the choices she has made and the experiences she has had in giving up her own identity, landing in all-too-common and all-encompassing life devoted to others: parents, spouse, child. How she juggles complex, ever-changing realities is a challenge, particularly when everyone else is moving on and she's stuck with shimmering possibilities that tempt her to swerve from staid and supportive to being her own person. The premise is so good and several of the characters so well drawn (Maggie's father is my favorite) that I kept reading to see what happened next for them. Sadly, I did not relate to Maggie at all. I felt sorry for her, but I didn't care what she decided to do with her next happily ever after. I applaud the writer and the publisher for highlighting an older woman protagonist and am only sorry that the story did not entrance me. I received an advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my unbiased review.

I tend to like books about relationships, friendships and personal growth. This book tried to be that, but for me didn't quite accomplish its goal. Maggie is a mom of daughter who will be leaving for college soon. As a stay at home mom, she finds herself reflecting on what she will do when her daughter is out of the house. Maggie's character constantly focuses on what she gave up to be a mom, to the point that as a reader I didn't like her needy character. The best storyline was the relationship between Maggie and her dad and there were times I could relate to Maggie's difficult relationship with her mother. There were some good points in the book, but overall this book was just okay. I would give it 2.5 stars, I rounded up to three because towards the end there was a particularly moving scene that had me tearing up.

I was so excited to read Happily Ever After, unfortunately, the actual book did not live up to its own amazing description. I found all of the main characters unlikeable and very whinny. They were all self-involved and many of their problems they created for themselves and then complained about them. There were other aspects to the book dealing with the main character's marriage that really put a bad taste in my mouth as well. For me, this book was a huge miss and I cannot recommend it.

***Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of Happily Ever After. ***

This book definitely touches on realistic issues that married women struggle with. People do often lose themselves when they get into a relationship or marriage, and it is quite common to feel lost. I hated Michael right from the start; he knew Maggie was going through a lot, and was married too, and yet seemed to try to take advantage of her. I felt bad for Jim at some parts, but at other times I hated how he acted: the way he would get drunk instead of just confiding in his wife. Maggie also made some mistakes when it came to Michael, but of course I can understand her frustration and anxiousness about not knowing what her role in life is going to be after her daughter goes off to college. An interesting read that strongly represents issues a lot of married couples have to go through, but I wish the ending was better :(

In After Happily Ever After, Maggie is the quintessential sandwich generation caregiver. She is a SATH who takes care of her daughter, Gia, who is about to go to college, as well as her father, who is in an assisted living facility. Maggie is struggling to find purpose in her life as she contemplates being an empty nester, and she has so many self-hating thoughts about how she's boring and insignificant. Maggie's husband, Jim, is also struggling with unhappiness in his career as a psychologist, and these unhappy people struggle to communicate and connect in their marriage. Maggie has strained relationships with her mother and brother, and as her father becomes increasingly ill, she has nothing tethering her to herself. At this point, Maggie meets a younger man at the gym, and the decisions she makes could irreparably change her life.

While this premise is such a real phenomenon that many women experience, I do believe the ongoing negative self talk and unhappiness made it difficult to like Maggie as a main character.. I felt she could have been given more redeeming qualities and thoughts, or even more humor, so that I wanted to root for her. I wanted to connect with Maggie more deeply, but I found myself feeling the same boredom and dislike towards her that she feels towards herself.

I found the author's writing to be propulsive, and I think if I have been more invested in the characters, this novel would have earned a higher rating from me. I'll be interested to see the author's work in the future.

I really liked the concept of this book, it felt relevant to me, I’m a stay at home mom and my girls will eventually need me less, and I wonder what I’ll do then.
However I’m only giving it 3 stars, there was a lot going on, and some parts were just rushed and disjointed from the rest of the story. Michael’s arc in particular came with very little warning, I would have liked more hints. And the father’s decline was also weirdly fast. The relationships between characters were just not developed enough for me to feel connected to the characters. I think if there were less plot points and more character development I would have enjoyed it more.
That being said, lives are often a collection of random things going on, so it was realistic that a woman was dealing with a sick father, an infatuation with a friend, marital issues, a teenage daughter and other family drama. However this book tried to do all those things justice and it was not long enough for that.

Thank you NetGalley, Leslie A. Rasmussen and She Writes Press for the ARC of After Happily Ever After.
This is my personal review.
Maggie is about to change when her daughter gets ready to leave the nest. Maggie is looking at her life from a different angle now and she sees a lot in her future she is not liking. She wants changes and isn’t sure exactly where she wants to go next. Her marriage has lost its luster, her daughter is leaving, and her father is now in assisted living. What next?
I enjoyed the book and it has such a real feel that many woman have gone thru in their lives.

First of all, Congratulations to Leslie on her debut novel, and cannot wait to read more of her work in the future.

Even though I thought it was a decent read, I am torn by the way it ended. Some scenes ended abruptly and it all felt like a narration. There were a few shifts in perspective which I thought wasn't required since this was Maggie's journey, not Jim's or her father's.

Sure, I was in tears when parts of her father's perspective came in place. It was all very touching. I wish if their lives were touched upon, there was some sort of resolution that would have put everything in place.

#might be a small spoiler here so stop!#

Don't say I didn't warn you.

I couldn't understand how Jim was upset when he found the note. Being married to someone for 20 years, you're meant to know it wasn't your wife's handwriting. RIGHT?

Also, her dad, couldn't recognize his nurse but her name was clearly mentioned in the first-person narrative! It's the little details plus Maggie's behavior towards the end that throws me off guard.

Thank you for the complimentary ARC inexchange for an honest review.

Maggie and Jim live in Connecticut, with their daughter Gia who's about to graduate high school. Maggie's freaking out at the prospect of becoming a SAHM in an empty nest, and Jim's a stressed out psychotherapist. In addition there are aged parent concerns, rifts between siblings, and marital neglect. After Happily Ever After entertains while very accurately illustrating the marital problem + poor communication + temptation = infidelity formula. Maggie meets Michael at her gym, his aged mother Charlotte moves into the same senior facility Maggie's father is at, and Gia has sex with her boyfriend. The plot flies merrily along, chapters alternate points of view, and somehow there is levity throughout, despite dark topics that crop up like dementia, death, and divorce.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for an exchange of an honest review.

The story is both serious and has some humor in it.
I thing its worth a read.

Maggie is symbolic of so mamny women who are in their 40s, facing an empty nest, and a marriage that is sputtering. I liked Maggie initially. Her father's decline was hard to read, especially the scenes where he broke down. To witness that in a parent is horrible. I understood Maggie gravitating toward Someone who paid attention to her. But when she was busted, she was acting like it could be fixed instantly and also upset because of others' reactions. That's was when she lost all appeal to me. The ending was abrupt and unfinished as well.

Maggie is a 45 year old stay-at-home mama. Her daughter is about to graduate high school. She’s at a crossroads with her life. Her daughter doesn’t need her as much. Her husband isn’t attracted to her anymore. She is bored with her life.

I had high hopes for this one. The premise is interesting and quite honestly, something I think and fear about all the time. It was not my jam. The jokes fell flat. The characters were frustrating and unrelatable. But I haven’t hit this stage in life so maybe I’d enjoy it more in 15 years.

Disappointed this book reads as a dairy description of what a person did that day that they want to document. She's bored in her marriage, resents her mother and is concerned about her teenage daughter.. DNF.



*************************************I received an ARC for my honest opinion from NetGalley.*********************************

After Happily Ever After follows Maggie and her life as a wife and mother of one teenager. Her marriage is mundane and her relationship with her daughter isn't as good as she wished it was. The plot explores how a marriage can become stale whilst also taking you on an emotional journey of Maggie coping with her father's health rapidly declining. To be honest I couldn't really get into this book, there wasnt any uplifting moments or excitement to the narrative and the ending was bland.

AFTER HAPPILY EVER AFTER – LESLIE A RASMUSSEN
PUBLISHED BY SHE WRITES PRESS
PLOT- Maggie Dolin, 45, gave up her job as an editor with a publishing house to raise her daughter who now 17, will go off to college. The only think Maggie knows and has been doing is taking care of everyone, from picking up and cleaning her daughter’s room everyday to finding misplaced things for her husband who has been neglecting her too taking care of her ailing father. She is feeling out of sorts when she meets a younger man by chance and she starts acting differently and she is eventually forced to make some hard decisions about what she wants from her life in order to be happy and satisfied!
This is a story which will relate to most mid- aged SAH mama’s, some even suffering from empty nest syndrome. This book explores all the various emotions be it loneliness, frustration, dissatisfaction towards your body, work, married life even sex life beautifully which a women undergoes in their midlife. The feelings are portrayed so well that it connects a cord instantly and even makes you realise that somewhere even you are going through something similar and makes you take a step back and assess your life too.
The only thing which I wished for in the book was if the author could include an epilogue…it would make the end a picture perfect in readers mind.
And lastly as the author herself says “to all the mom’s who are left with an empty nest and a journey to find themselves once again. This book is for you.”
For a debut novel this book is fantastic. Give this one a 4.5 stars.
Looking forward for more of her work in the future!

It’s such a wonderfully hilarious and sensitive book, it’s hard to believe it’s a debut.

Empty nest syndrome affects thousands of parents each year. It’s not a disorder, but a combination of loneliness and grief when your children leave home. As a mother whose daughter is about to leave for college (not right away, there’ still time! But I’m bracing myself for the eventuality) I could identify a lot with Maggie Dolin, the main protagonist.

The author, Leslie Rasmussen, sums her book up perfectly... “And lastly to all the moms who are left with an empty nest and a journey to find themselves once again. This book is for you.”

Maggie Dolin is the heart of this story. She is like the countless women whose lives revolve around their families; and yet there’s a nagging feeling of emptiness. She is questioning her identity and purpose. “The last time I felt significant was the day that Gia was born. I loved being the main attraction, but as soon as she popped out, it was no longer about me. I wanted it to be about me again.”

40 plus, married to a Psychologist and mom to a seventeen-year-old daughter Gia, Maggie feels trapped, unseen and unheard. Working as a publishing personnel, she quits her job to take care of her daughter; promising to go back to work when the daughter starts kindergarten; unfortunately, it remains an unfulfilled promise. Now, after having spent nearly 18 years at home, she is going through the empty-nester syndrome when her daughter is about to leave for college. “I hated packing lunches, but next year when I had no one to pack for, I would be sad. I was going to have a constant reminder that I was a vacation mom.”

On top of that, she is also dealing with a marriage which has become all too familiar, regular and lacking any fizz. All her attempts to spice up the marriage fall flat, as her husband Jim is perennially tired. But he is not the villain here, he is grappling with his own issues which are affecting his behavior. “We had become one of those boring couples where nothing was exciting. It was sad. And even sadder that I thought kung pao chicken was going to liven things up.”


Amidst all this, she is also dealing with the ill health of her Dad, who has recently moved into an assisted living facility. The parts narrated from the father’s POV are quite emotional, and heart-breaking. As dementia takes over, he loses a bit of him every day; and Maggie’s struggles to accept and deal with it brought tears in my eyes. “I need you to promise you won’t visit all the time if I don’t know who you are. I don’t want you to have hope when there isn’t any.”

Her world starts to collapse when she treads on a dangerous and thrilling path. A chance encounter with Michael, a cute 30-something guy kindles a spark. But the spark soon ignites a fire and threatens to rock her marriage. “I couldn’t wait to see him again, which when you are married, is not a good sign.”

Does Maggie’s world collapse or does she rediscover herself? Well, that’s something one can figure out only on reading!